


A Dog Eat Dog World

by BlackRoseShiori



Series: Rumbelle Fluff Drabbles [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-03-26 12:54:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19006216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackRoseShiori/pseuds/BlackRoseShiori





	A Dog Eat Dog World

Rumplestiltskin was frustrated.

And for good reason. He had yet to have a successful meal with Belle, and he was growing damn tired of hamburgers. Luckily, Granny's had a large variety to choose from. Ruby even seemed to enjoy coming up with new combinations for the chef. Rumplestiltskin couldn't fault the wolf girl, who seemed to still feel guilty for the whole 'handcuffing-Belle-to-a-pipe' incident.

With an unusually cheery spring in his step (well, as springy as he could get with a limp and all) the pawnbroker felt that today could be their day. Finally, he had decided that Granny's obviously wasn't the correct venue for his dates with Belle, nor was his shop. The townsfolk would also know to look for them at his home, or Belle's apartment. So today, they were going to the park. The weather was unseasonably mild, so they were going to find the farthest clearing possible and set up a picnic, and may the gods help anyone who even thought about getting in their way.

Rumplestiltskin gave a somewhat jaunty knock upon Belle's apartment door, which swung open to reveal his True Love wearing tight jeans, knee high boots reminiscent of their old land (and which this land called 'riding boots' even though Rumplestiltskin was certain that most women who wore them had never ridden a horse in their lives) and a long blue cashmere sweater that hugged her curves and perfectly matched her eyes.

The Dark One found himself at a loss for words.

Belle grinned and looked down a bit shyly at her love's obviously appreciative gaze. "Come on in," she said, stepping aside, "I was just about finished packing the picnic basket."

Rumplestiltskin stepped inside her warm little apartment and was greeted with, of course, the smell of broiled beef.

"I had Ruby bring them over just a little while ago," Belle answered his unasked question. "Something called the Loaded Pepperjack Burger for me, and plain for you with extra pickles."

The pawnbroker arched an eyebrow a bit at Belle's choice of burger for the day, but said nothing. 

Belle closed up the basket and Rumplestiltskin offered her an arm. Smiling, they started making their way together toward the park.

Just at the edge of Second Street, Rumplestiltskin suppressed a grumble and a harsh word or two as he saw the cricket running up to them.

"Hello, Archie!" Belle called out as a very red-faced psychiatrist stopped in front of them.

"Hello, Belle. Mr. Gold," Archie nodded politely. "I was wondering if perhaps you've seen Pongo while you've been out walking? He got off his leash yesterday and I haven't been able to find him since."

"Pongo?" Belle questioned, but Rumplestiltskin jumped in and answered for them. "I'm sorry, Dr. Hopper. We haven't seen hide nor hair of your dog while we've been out. Now if you'll excuse us…"

He began walking again, while Belle threw a sheepish smile and a, "sorry!" toward the good doctor.

"If you see him," Archie called after them, "Please call me!"

"Archie is such a nice man," Belle said, lightly. "He's been so helpful since everyone awoke. I hope he finds his pet."

"Yes, yes," Rumplestiltskin agreed as they finally entered the park. "He's just a pillar of the community. Always giving advice when he can't even control his own dog."

"Rumple!" Belle admonished her love with a playful smack on the arm. "Be nice! He's been especially helpful to me, and I'm grateful."

At that, Rumplestiltskin felt his stomach drop. Of course he knew that Belle had been seeing the cricket, and why wouldn't she? She'd been rejected by her True Love, locked up for three decades, betrayed by her own father…it was enough to make anyone crazy. But not his Belle. She was stronger and braver than anyone he'd ever met…aside from Bae, perhaps...

The sorcerer decided to stop that train of thought at the station, and focus on his beautiful Belle instead.

She was laying out a checkered picnic blanket which was wonderfully cliche, and Rumplestiltskin couldn't help but smile as the hazy sunlight caught the auburn in her hair.

Finally, today was going to be perfect.

 

**

Rumplestiltskin had shed his jacket and was sitting as comfortably as he could on the ground with his knee protesting. He watched in wonder as his Belle took her first bite of today's experimental burger.

"Oh, my!" Belle exclaimed as a hand flew to her mouth.

Rumplestiltskin's eyes shot up to his love's face, and his heart flew into his throat. "What is it, sweetheart?" he asked, ready to spring into action.

"It's spicy!" she exclaimed with a laugh. "I wasn't expecting that!"

Calming almost immediately, Rumplestiltskin chuckled. "Of course, dear. Pepperjack is a type of cheese that has bits of spicy peppers processed into it. Usually jalapeño and sometimes the even spicier habanero."

"And what are these things?" Belle asked, opening up her burger and pointing to the round, green things resting atop her meat patty.

"Ah, those would be actual jalapeños," he explained. "It looks like you ordered Granny's spiciest hamburger today."

"It's good," Belle insisted, though Rumplestiltskin wasn't convinced. "I just wasn't expecting it. I ordered it because I like pepper, and I once knew a boy named Jack."

He didn't mean to laugh at her. He really didn't. But it was said with such innocent sincerity that he just couldn't help himself. Luckily, Belle didn't seem to mind and found herself laughing along with him.

Once their laughter had settled, Rumplestiltskin decided that things were going well enough for him to finally take the plunge and ask Belle something that he'd been meaning to for a while. After all, they'd been spending more time together lately, and the library would always belong to her…so he thought it might be time to ask if she'd like to move back in with him again. After all, he had his pawn shop and she had her library, so it wasn't as if they wouldn't have lives outside of one another.

He'd been practicing the speech in his head for days, but something had always come up and ruined their dates. Not today, though.

"Belle," he began…

"…Do you hear that?" Belle interrupted, her forehead creasing down the middle in concentration.

"Hear what?"

"That…thumping sound?"

Now that she mentioned it, he did hear a thumping sound. It was almost like the thundering of hooves, but obviously being made by something much smaller. And it was getting closer.

Getting to his feet rather awkwardly, using his cane to push himself, Rumplestiltskin motioned for Belle to rise.

"Get behind me," he ordered, and his tone left little room for argument.

Though her expression was confused, Belle positioned herself behind her love and kept watch in the distance for whatever it was they were hearing.

Suddenly, a blur of black and white sprung from some bushes and descended upon their picnic site in a matter of seconds.

The dalmatian was like a wrecking ball the way he came down upon their lunch. Before either of them could react, Pongo had consumed both burgers and most of the their french fries.

"Pongo, no!" Belle yelled, but it was no use. The dog had probably been lost in the woods since Archie had last seen him, and would be starved. Rumplestiltskin knew that the animal was in no condition to listen.

Without a word, the sorcerer raised his free hand and placed a spell on the dog to freeze him in place. 

Surrounded by a faint purple glow, Pongo was finally still. But the damage had already been done.

"Rumple," Belle said, worry tinging her voice, "You can't leave him like that. We have to call Archie."

"Go ahead, dear," Rumplestiltskin said. "You can call him from my phone. It's in my jacket pocket. His number is programmed in."

Belle ran to where his jacket lay on the ground and dug out his cellular. He heard her speak a few hushed words to the doctor and then she was at his side again.

"I'm sorry," she said, resting her cheek against his shoulder. "It happened again. Sometimes I wonder if maybe I'm cursed."

Turning to face his love, he placed a hand on her cheek and lightly brushed the curve of her high cheekbone with the pad of his thumb. Her slightly parted lips begged to be kissed, so he indulged himself.

When he pulled back, Belle's sky blue eyes had darkened somewhat and her lids were heavy.

"You're not cursed, love," he said, quietly. "You could never be cursed, because you're everything good and pure in this old monster's world."

With a sigh, Belle said, "You're not a monster. And I'm going to keep telling you that until you finally believe it."

Her sweet words were like a drug, and Rumplestiltskin couldn't stop the next words that came tumbling out of his mouth. 

"Come live with me!" the Dark One found himself blurting out like an overeager schoolboy.

Belle's eyes widened in shock, and then she smiled fondly. "One thing at a time. Let's reunite poor Pongo with Archie first, and then we'll talk about it. Okay?"

Rumplestiltskin nodded. It was more than he had hoped for. More than he deserved.

A few minutes later, the former cricket came bounding up to them, so Rumplestiltskin waved a hand and released the spell on Pongo. 

The dog immediately spotted his owner and ran happily into his arms.

Belle's eyes glistened as she watched the therapist hug his dog, and Pongo licked his owner's face.

Archie attached a leash to the happy dalmatian and stood before them, smiling.

"Thank you both so much for finding him," the red-haired man said, completely genuine.

"He found us, really," Belle told him. She leaned down to pet the dog's head, but at that moment Pongo let out a whimper.

"Pongo," Archie said, and the tension in his voice was evident, "what's wrong?"

And that's when the sixty pound dalmatian threw up all over Rumplestiltskin's $600 Gucci loafers.

Archie looked mortified as he sheepishly muttered, "Uhhh…so sorry about that, Mr. Gold. I'll pay for those."

Rumplestiltskin closed his eyes, counted to ten, and sighed. "I doubt you could afford to, doctor. Think nothing of it."

Archie made a few more awkward apologies before finally leading Pongo away.

Rumplestiltskin felt a warm hand glide into his own and turned to look at Belle. She was smiling the most astonishing smile, and he couldn't help the grin that he felt spreading across his own face.

"Thank you," Belle said, squeezing his hand.

Rumplestiltskin looked at her, quizzically. "For what?"

"For being kind to him. For helping."

She released his hand and stood in front of him, rising up on the tips of her toes to place a quick kiss to his lips.

Pulling back, a smile still on her face, Belle said, "Now, let's clean up this mess. And might I suggest we try to eat indoors next time?"

"Yes," Rumplestiltskin agreed. "I think that would probably be the best course of action."

Internally, the sorcerer sighed. Next time. There was always going to be a next time until she was back at home with him. He would just have to try harder.

In the meantime, he had vomit to get out of his shoes.


End file.
